A Home-Built Mobile Crane

The kind of man who builds a 50-foot paddle steamer is the same kind of man who builds a crane.

An Australian man was building a 50-foot paddle steamer, and if you’re the kind of guy who builds a steamer then you’re the kind of guy who builds his own crane. The crane below is built around an old Ruston Hornsby 6.75 HP diesel generator set. It’s loud—but that’s to be expected from a one-cylinder diesel engine. There’s a chain-hoist at the end of the boom (which does not appear to move) so this machine is more along the lines of a motorized A-frame. It’s not pretty, but it does the job.

To see why this guy needed a crane, check out the second video below—which shows his home-built steamer cruising on a river. Warning: If you watch the video of his and his friend’s boats it’ll be hard not to be jealous.